Business & financial news headlines

The Paris markets continued in the red

In continuation of Tuesday's session that saw the CAC 40 index registered its biggest drop at the closing for over a year the Parisian markets should continue to be more cautious as this Wednesday. The CAC 40 index opened down 0.76% to 3815.39 points.

The euro continued to exchange at its lowest level in a year against the greenback on Wednesday in Tokyo, under pressure from concerns over public deficits in Europe, including Greece and Portugal. The euro was at 1.3167 dollars, its lowest level since April 29, 2009.

Bank stocks back in the spotlight

Once again this will most banking stocks to watch, after they posted the largest declines the CAC 40, Tuesday.Natixis Private Equity, moreover, has changed its CEO, while Natixis has closed the sale of its subsidiary equity firm AXA Private Equity.

Investors will also follow the values and Renault cars, after the manufacturer announced an increase of 28.4% of its turnover in the first quarter.

Other companies on Tuesday, Unibail-Rodamco – sales were down 0.9% in first quarter 2010 – Seb – up 10.9% of sales at constant exchange rates – and CFAO, a subsidiary of PPR – decrease in sales of 2.5%.

On Wednesday, Rhodia has posted a profit of 69 million euros for the first quarter of 2010 and a turnover up 23% to 1.176 billion euros.

Dassault Aviation displays a turnover up 50% to 821.4 million euros in the first quarter of 2010 pay day loan quick.

The reinsurer Scor has divided by three to 36 million euro net profit in the first quarter of 2010.

Followed after-hours trade turnover of the first quarter of PPR.

Air France-KLM's return to Madrid Stock Exchange, Thursday, the company will report Amadaeus travel reservations at best 210 million euros to Air France, which holds 23.1% stake, the newspaper La Tribune.

Alstom is part of a consortium that participates in the tender for the construction of a subway in Panama, a project of 1.5 billion, told Reuters the country's ambassador in Paris.

Vivendi said on Tuesday it held 99.17% stake in Brazilian operator GVT at the end of the auction process conducted as part of its bid.

Group OL: Olympique Lyonnais football club owned by OL Groupe, was eliminated Wednesday night in the semifinals of the Champions League, beaten 3-0 at home to Bayern Munich.

A decision on rates by the Fed

On the macroeconomic front, the news will be especially marked in France by publishing the number of corporate failures in November 2009 by the INSEE.

Overseas, investors monitor stocks around 16:30 weekly crude oil and the statement that the Fed will issue to 8:15 p.m. on interest rates. In all likelihood, it should announce it will keep.

Ten thousand grain parade through the streets of Paris

Red, green and blue: a parade of 1300 tractors brand new, red lights lit and flags fluttering in the colors of the FNSEA and JA flooded streets yesterday in eastern Paris. At the wheel, the grain of fourteen French regions accompanied by 10,000 farmers from manifest their anger. A resounding success despite a period conducive to field work.

"The mobilization is at the height of the crisis across the world of agriculture today, said Dominique Barrau Le Figaro, number two of the majority union. Farmers expect concrete action from Europe and the French government, including a plan to lower taxes, social and environmental ".

A double shock

Even if they are not the worst off, farmers crops are facing a dual shock. The precipitous drop in market prices since 2008.Thus a loss of 80-90 euros per hectare of European aid after their redistribution last year, to the most needy in the Health Check of the CAP. A very easily accepted by those farmers who apply, however the government to intervene immediately in the markets to send prices back.

"There are currently 4 to 5 million tonnes of wheat in excess inventory that could not be 0 because of the damage in rail freight and port. They must elapse before the next harvest if prices will continue to decline, warns Michel Masson, vice president of the FNSEA and co-organizer of this event.

A request that the Minister of Agriculture, Bruno Le Maire, and he has heard this morning reiterating the European Commissioner, Dacian Ciolos, visiting Paris."I asked the Commission to intervene on the grain market and make prices go up," he said yesterday at the outlet of the Council of Ministers while urging farmers to "not lose hope."

For beyond this manifestation of discontent, many farmers are going through very difficult times to the point of suicide in extreme cases the rate of one per day is an act of recognition among urban populations they had sought in Paris yesterday. And on this point too, their operation is a success.

"It warms my heart to see Parisians applauded us," says J?r?mine, Young Farmers."They are the ones who feed us and they were not there, we would not be much," says Monique, a passerby who took up the cudgels for the farmers.

The question is whether this mobilization will be more than a flash in the pan and tangible effects. Upcoming dates: May 6 for the first committee to follow up major crops before May 22 and the reunion of all the productions that will invade the Champs-Elysees.